Method and apparatus for forming wire loops



July 2, 1935. J. K. HOWELL 2,005,355

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING WIRE LOOPS Filed Aug. 22. 1954 il -f7 I v i i I I i I 1 ,3

- I l g k i K a k ll-"s it. 7 s INVENTOR.

J. K. HOWELL ATTORNEY.

Patented July 2, 193E) JMETHODI AND APPARATUS. .FOR FORMING WIRE LOOPS j "James K. Howell, Los Angeles. Calif.

Application Augustj2 2, 1934, Serial No. "740,935 Y .2 Claims. (01. 140-104 Thisinvention relates to improvements in method and apparatus for formingloops or eyes in theends of wire leaders commonly employed in fishing and for other purposes.

It is customary practice among fishermen, and especially in fishing for relatively heavy gamefish, to employ leaders formed of piano or other vsuitable wire and difficulty has been'experienc'ed in providing the wire with suitable and secure loops attheir extremities, especially when'upon the fishing grounds or where the usual commercial equipment for forming such loops is'not available. Heretofore the main dependenceof the fisherman in forming such loops has been a pair of pliers and often the resulting product has been disappointing in effecting unsightly and insecure loops through which fish and tackle have been frequently lost. w

It is the object of my invention to provideza' se ries of readily followedv and easily performed op erations for forming "a loop in the extremity of .a wire and securing the same permanently and compactly, together with apparatus of simple and convenient construction through which my improved method may be carried out.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention herein set forth consists in the method and mechanical aids for accomplishing the same, as fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the various steps employed in carrying out my 'im'- proved method, and by way of example show an embodiment of the apparatus adapted to be utilized therein, in which: t

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same shown with a wire engaged therein illustrative of an early stage in the process of forming a loop therein.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 in reversed condition, the device being shown with the wire engaged therein and in the final stages of forming a loop. r

Fig. 4 is an underside plan view of said device.

Fig. 5 is a detached view in side elevation of a metal pin utilized as an accessory to said device.

Fig. 6 is a detached view of thewire in which the loop is made showing the same partially completed as a result of the operations depicted in connection with Fig. 1.

Fig. I is a similar view of the wire with the loop completed asthe result of the operations exemplified in Fig. 3.

Precedent to describingfthe improved method forming the colateral subjectmatter of my invention I. will for the sake of clarity first describe 35 certain preferred apparatus particularly adapted to carry out'such method, reference being made to said drawing.

The reference numeral l0 indicates thejbody of my improved loop forming device? preferably molded suitable plastic, material in cylindrical form. From one endA of [said bodyextejnds a cylindrical metal post If rigidly positioned'up'on one side of a diametrical line therethrough Said post is formed with. a shallow notch I2 1011. its side facing said diametrical line. Another-post :13 is similarly embedded the body "at end A upon the side or saidline opposite to the post H and preferably in a diametricalline at right angles to the firstnamed' line. The post I3-is 1 formed with a screw-threaded horizontalbore 'to receive a binding-screw I6 having a knurled head IT at its outer end and having its inner end directed to engage the post H at the notch I2 to secure a wire therein. I

The body H1 is formed with a longitudinal radially directed groove l8 extending its entire length and to a depth to a short distance beyond the axisv of the body. Upon the opposite end ,B the body is formed in two elevational planes 20 and 2|, the ledge 22 therebetween being slightly undercut and extending in a diametrical line at right angles to the groove I8 so that the groove will substantially biseotthe lower semi-circular plane 20 and extend slightly into the upper plane 2|. As a convenience a metal pin 23, see Fig. 5, is carried with the device and is provided with a knob 25 at one end and a pick-point 26 at its opposite end. A tubular recess-sheath '21 is formed in the body extending therein from the end B to receive the pin when not in use.

My improved method of forming looped ends in wire may be described as follows: with particular reference to the device already described as conveniently affording the means for accomplishing the same. The piano or other wire W is placed horizontally in thenotch l2 and the binding-screw I6 is firmly screwed thereon at approximately the point on the wire where the loop is to be made. The wire upon one side of the posts, usually the longer end,'will be termed the standing-part S and that upon the opposite side, being of suflicient lengthto form the loop and connecting parts, will be termed the coilingis given a horizontal bend at 28 against the end of the screw [6, the standing-part being brought up as close to the post l3 as it conveniently may. The coiling-part is then coiled horizontally about the post II to form the loop L in the size or dimensions desired, the extremity of said coilingpart extending at substantially right angles to the standing-part when these first operations are completed. The wire is then released from the binding-screw and will appear substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6 with the standing-part S directed radially with respect to the circular loop L.

The apparatus may then be reversed and the standing-part S inserted within the groove l8 and with the coiling-part C extending laterally) over the lower plane portion 20. A suitable in-.

strument, such as the pin' 23, is then thrust through the loop as a turning lever, see Fig. 3, and turned in the direction to engage the laterally extending portion of the coiling-part against the undercut ledge 22 and to cause the edge of said ledge adjacent the groove 18 to serve as a die to act upon the wire of the coiling-part and effect a coil about the standing-part, as indicatedat W in said view. When a sufiicient number of coils are wrapped about the standing-part the end is cut off closely as a final operation, whereupon on removal the finished loop will appear as in Fig. '7. While any convenient and suitable instrument may be used in place of the pin 23 for effecting the turning of the loop, the pin is provided with a sharpened point 26 which makes it variously useful in a fishermans kit, particularly in loosening knots and the like.

While I have described my invention with considerable detail it will be seen that it is essentially simple and readily performed by any person however unskilled. Also itshould be noted that various steps in the method and certain details of construction of the apparatus are illustrative only and may be modified or equivalents employed, such as the particular form of clamp or bindingscrew shown, and all such departures and modifications as may be found to lie within the scope of the granted claims are included Within the protection sought thereby.

Having described my invention, what I claim,

'1. Apparatus for forming loops in wires, consisting of a body having a clamp at one end adapted to secure a wire therein, a fixed part of said clamp being a cylindrical rod rigidly secured consisting of clamping the wire intermediate its ends to provide a standing-part and a coilingpart upon opposite sides of the clamp, bending the standing-part adjacent the clamping point laterally to assume a position approximately ninety degrees relative to its original position, forming a loop with said coiling-part having its center substantially in line with said standingpart whereby the extremity of said coiling-part extends at approximately right angles to said standing-part, removing the clamp from said wire, engaging said standing-part in a groove whereby said coiling-part extends laterally over a plane surface, and turning said loop to cause said coiling-part to engage upon a shoulder adjacent said groove to coil the coiling-part about the standing-part and thus secure said loop.

JAMES K. HOWELL. 

